IN THE JUVENILE COURT OF HALL COUNTY STATE OF GEORGIA IN THE INTEREST OF: L.D.D.S. YOB: 2011 AGE: 13 YEARS SEX: MALE CASE NUMBER: 2400985 M.J.M.S. YOB: 2009 AGE: 14 YEARS SEX: MALE CASE NUMBER: 2400984 CHILDREN SUMMONS AND NOTICE OF THE FILING OF A PETITION FOR TERMINATION OF PARENTAL RIGHTS TO: MITCHELL LEE STROUD, RESPONDENT AND ALL INTERESTED PARTIES IT APPEARING that a Petition for Termination of Parental Rights seeking an order terminating your parental rights has been presented to this Court and filing of the petition is found to be in the best interest of the children and the public, let the same be filed. A copy of the Petition for Termination of Parental Rights can be obtained at the clerk's office of the Juvenile Court of Hall County, located at the Hall County Courthouse Annex, 116 Spring Street SE, Gainesville, Georgia 30501. Under the provisions of O.C.G.A. SS 15-11-284, the effect of an order terminating the parental rights of a parent under this article is without limit as to duration and terminates all the rights with respect to the children and all rights of the children to the parent arising from the parental relationship. The parent is not thereafter entitled to notice of the proceedings for the adoption of the children by another, nor does the parent have any right to object to the adoption or otherwise to participate in the proceedings. NOTICE OF EFFECT OF TERMINATION JUDGMENT: Georgia law provides that you can permanently lose your rights as a parent. A petition to terminate parental rights has been filed requesting the court to terminate your parental rights to your child. A court hearing of your case has been scheduled for the 29th day of January, 2025, at 8:30 a.m. at the Juvenile Court of Hall County. If you fail to appear, the court can terminate your rights in your absence. If the court at the trial finds that the facts set out in the petition to terminate parental rights are true and that termination of your rights will serve the best interests of your child, the court can enter a judgment ending your rights to your child. If the judgment terminates your parental rights, you will no longer have any rights to your child. This means that you will not have the right to visit, contact, or have custody of your child or make any decisions affecting your child or your child's earnings or property. Your child will be legally freed to be adopted by someone else. Even if your parental rights are terminated: (1) You will still be responsible for providing financial support (child support payments) for your child's care unless and until your child is adopted; and (2) Your child can still inherit from you unless and until your child is adopted. This is a very serious matter. You should contact an attorney immediately so that you can be prepared for the court hearing. You have the right to hire an attorney and to have him or her represent you. If you cannot afford to hire an attorney, the court will appoint an attorney if the court finds that you are an indigent person. Whether or not you decide to hire an attorney, you have the right to attend the hearing of your case, to call witnesses on your behalf, and to question those witnesses brought against you. If you have any questions concerning this notice, you may call the telephone number of the clerk's office which is (770) 531-6927 or visit the Juvenile Court Clerk's Office at the Hall County Courthouse Annex located at 116 Spring Street SE Gainesville, GA 30501. You may apply for an attorney by calling the Indigent Defense Office at (770) 531-7086 or visiting their office on the 2nd floor of the Hall County Courthouse. Pursuant to the provisions of O.C.G.A. SSSS 15-11-281 and 282, a copy of the Petition for Termination of Parental Rights and this Summons and Order shall be served upon you, the Respondent, at least thirty (30) days before the time set for a hearing. Should you be a putative father, a biological father who is not the legal father of the above-named children, then pursuant to O.C.G.A. SS 15-11-283(c), you are hereby advised that you may lose all rights to L.D.D.S. and M.J.M.S. and will not be entitled to object to the termination of your rights to the children unless, within thirty (30) days of receipt of this notice, you file: (1) A petition to legitimate the children pursuant to O.C.G.A. SS 19-7-22; and (2) Notice of the filing of the petition to legitimate with the Juvenile Court of Hall County. Should you be a putative father, a biological father who is not the legal father of the above-named children, then pursuant to O.C.G.A. SS 15-11-283(e), then you may lose all rights to the children and this Court may enter an order terminating all of your parental rights to the children and you may not thereafter object to the termination of your rights to the above-named children if pursuant to O.C.G.A. SS 15-11-283(e) you: (1) Do not timely file a petition to legitimate and give notice pursuant to O.C.G.A. SS 15-11-283(c); (2) File a legitimation petition, which is subsequently dismissed for failure to prosecute; (3) File a legitimation petition and the action is subsequently concluded without a court order declaring a finding that you are the legal father of the children. If Mitchell Lee Stroud, the biological father of the above-named children fails to file a Petition for Legitimation or Notice of the filing of the Petition for Legitimation with the Clerk of Juvenile Court of Hall County prior to the expiration of 30 (thirty) days, the Court may enter an Order Terminating the Father's Parental Rights at the pretrial hearing. The Court will conduct a pretrial hearing on the 2nd day of December, 2024, at 8:30 a.m. at the Juvenile Court of Hall County located in the Hall County Courthouse Annex, 116 Spring Street SE, Gainesville, Georgia 30501, to discuss any possible stipulations, documentary evidence, number of witnesses and other information to promote Judicial economy and the presentation of this matter before the Court. NOW, therefore, you, the parent of the above-named children, are hereby commanded to be and appear on the 29th day of January, 2025, at 8:30 a.m. before the Juvenile Court of Hall County located in the Hall County Courthouse Annex, 116 Spring Street SE, Gainesville, Georgia 30501, to answer the allegations of the Petition for Termination of Parental Rights and to show cause as to why an order terminating your parental rights should not be granted. This hearing is to consider the termination of your parental rights to the above-named children. Under O.C.G.A. SS 15-11-262, you, as Respondent, are entitled to representation by legal counsel. In the event that you are unable to hire an attorney to represent you, and if you are indigent, as that term is defined in O.C.G.A. SS 15-11-2(38), then you must IMMEDIATELY contact the Office for Indigent Defense at (770) 531-7086 and the Clerk of the Juvenile Court in Hall County at (770) 531-6927 and request the appointment of counsel to represent you at these proceedings. The Indigent Defense Office is located on the 2nd floor of the Hall County Courthouse. The Juvenile Court Clerk's Office is located in the Hall County Courthouse Annex, 116 Spring Street SE, Gainesville, Georgia 30501. SO ORDERED, this 12th day of November, 2024. Honorable Amber R. Sowers Judge, Juvenile Court Hall County, Georgia Northeastern Judicial Circuit 141000 11/20, 27, 12/4, 11